M81 and M82 are close together in the night sky
and are a favorite target for amateur observational astronomers.
The galaxies are rather bright, at 6.9 magnitudes, and M82
especially really looks like its nickname, the Cigar
Galaxy.

The
galaxies can be seen by aiming your telescope at a point on the
sky found by roughly extending an imaginary line across the Big
Dipper's bowl (about the same distance as the bowl diagonal).
Remember, the R.A. and Dec of this object is: Right Ascension:
09h 55.6m Declination +69° 04' if you prefer to use setting
circles.

[Photo courtesy of Michael Weiland of the
Interessengemeinschaft Astronomie an der UniversitŠt
Konstanz (Astronomy Interest Group at the University of
Constance). This image was obtained with a 15-cm f/6 Newtonian
at Michael's "Hütte" in the "Bregenzerwald", Austria.
Exposed 30 minutes on Kodak TP 2415.]